An exposition of the Symbole of the Apostles, or rather of the articles of faith. In which the chiefe points of the euerlasting and free couenant betweene God and the faithfull is briefly and plainly handled. Gathered out of the catechising sermons of Gasper Oleuvian Treuir, and now translated out of the Latine tongue into the English for the benefite of Christ his Church. By Iohn Fielde.

The scope or vse of this Article.

THe scope is that the faithfull may knowe, that their full and stayed felicitie is not in this earth, and that he that hath begune his worke in vs, wil also perfect it. Of which knowledge there is a threefolde vse. First the remembrance of our departure hence into e∣uerlasting life to that same chiefe & high good, will not suffer our heartes to bee fastened here to these earthly thinges as the Apostle sayth, 2 Corinthians 5. And therefore we are alwaies of good comforte, and wee knowe, that seeing wee are straungers in body, wee are hardely absent from the Lorde (for wee walke by faith and not sight) but we trust and rather de∣sire to depart out of the body and to goe to dwel with the Lord. And for this cause we en∣deuour that both dwelling & departing hence we may bee acceptable vnto him. So in the 8. to the Rom. wee our selues which haue the first fruites of the spirite, do grone with our selues waiting for the adoption, that is, the redempti∣on of our bodies. 1. Pet. 1. passe the time of your abiding here in feare, hee calleth it an abiding here, but not a dwelling.

The seconde vse is patience and constancie. For this same full felicitie is propounded to be beleeued, to this end that the faithfull, when they shall marke that same taste of happinesse, which they feele by the first fruites of the spi∣rit, and shall perceiue that they are farre of from the full fruition and enioying of it, in respecte of the manifold strife which they haue with sundrie tribulations, which God vseth as instrumentes to mortifie sinne and to conserue them to the head Christ, they shoulde not in the meane season be any whit at al discouraged, but turning the eyes of their mindes to that ful happines, they should waite with a peaceable minde for the day of the reuelation. For so saith Christ Luke 21. Ye shall be hated of al mē for my name sake, but an heare of your heade shall not perish; possesse your soules through patience. And 2. Tim. 2. If any man striue, he is not crowned, vnlesse he striue lawfully.

Nowe this same second vse ought specially to arme the ministers of the worde, with an in∣uincible fortitude against the vnthankefulnesse of the worlde, to which they doe good against the will thereof, against pinching pouertie, ba∣nishmentes, and to be short sundrie daungers: that if so be that the courage of their minde, be sometimes pressed downe vnder the burthen of calamities, they remember that that same great weight of the glory prepared be put in y^e other scale of the ballance: which without all doubt shall so ouerwey it, that it shal make that same first to be most light. For this cause wee are not

sluggish saith the Apostle 2. Cor. 4. but though our outwarde man perish, yet the inwarde man is dayly renewed. For our light affliction which is but for a moment, causeth vnto vs a far most excellent, and an eternall weight of glorie. Let that same promise also brought by the Angel, be alwayes in sight, which albeit it be commō to all the faithful, as all are prophetes: yet it specially is directed to ministers in Daniel cap. 12. And the wise shall shine as the brightnesse of the firmament, and they that turne many to righteousnes, shal shine as the starres for euer & euer. Therefore Christ also saith, Your reward is great in heauen. Matth. 5. Let them also be∣leeue this themselues which teach others to be∣leeue.

The thirde vse is y^e certaintie of perseuerance in faith: that is to say, that we beleeue that the Lord will neuer suffer that we shall vtterly fall from grace: because he will haue vs to beleeue euerlasting life. If I must beleeue euerlasting life, I trust not without cause also that I shalbe kept in the way: As Peter plainly teacheth, 1. E∣pist. 1.5. which are kept by the power of God through faith vnto saluation, which is prepa∣red to be showed in the last time. And 1. Cor. 1.9. God is faithfull by whom ye are called into the fellow shippe of his sonne Iesus Christ our Lorde: to him be honor and glorie world with out end. Amen.